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"Resolve never to quit,
never to give up, no
matter what the
Situation."
Jack Nicklaus
Mr Rock’s favourite
quote.
Learner of the Month Winner - April 2021 Our Learner of the Month Winner for April 2021 was Henry
Thomas - 8TX for his outstanding effort in English.
Congratulations also go to the many other students who were
nominated in April 2021. We had over 17 nominations during
April 2021 which is fantastic.
All students who received a nomination will receive a letter home
from the Head Teacher explaining who nominated them and why.
May 2021 Update
As we edge closer to the end of this academic year, it is with more and more certainty that we can
start to see things getting back to normal as restrictions are slowly lifted. As from Monday 17 May
2021, face masks are no longer required to be worn in secondary schools by students which I am
sure many of our students will be pleased about. It has not always been easy, but we have all tried
to do the right thing, based on government advice and we would like to thank you all for your
support during this time.
As you will know, our PE Changing Rooms re-open on Monday 17 May 2021 and students will no
longer be allowed to attend school in their PE kit on the days they have PE and they will be expected to
get changed in the changing rooms as they have done previously. Please be reassured that we would not
have taken this decision unless we thought it was safe to do so.
Some changes made during lockdown will however be remaining such as our Virtual Parents’ Evenings as
feedback from both staff and parents/carers indicates this works really well.
We are also pleased to let you know that Dormston School will now be donating any leftover sandwiches
from our lunchtime service to a charity called BWO Outreach who feed the homeless, vulnerable adults
and children, as well as victims of domestic violence and their children. Thank you to Mrs Pooni our Ca-
tering Manager for the work she has been doing with this charity over the last lockdown and for coming
up with this great suggestion!
Can we remind Parents/Carers that school will be closed for May Half Term from Monday 31 May to
Friday 4 June 2021.
Parent/Carer Update Sheet May 2021/June 2021
01384 816395 [email protected] @DormstonSch http://www.dormston.dudley.sch.uk
Work Experience Update
We had originally calendared a Work Experience launch assembly to Year 9
students and parents/carers to take place shortly. However, in light of the current
situation, it will be postponed and reviewed later in the year, further details will
follow to keep students and parents/carers updated.
Oscars - Coming Soon!
As some of you may remember (pre COVID-19) we usually hold our Annual Oscar
Evening in June. Excitement always mounts throughout the week as the gold
envelopes are distributed throughout the school to students in Years 7 - 10. The
evening is usually packed with prizes and entertainment and we all dress up in our
best tuxedos and evening dresses. At the moment, even with restrictions
potentially lifting, we are not quite decided on how this event will run. We are
however going to ensure we gather nominations and ensure that those students
who are nominated receive some recognition for their hard work and efforts. We
will keep you posted on our plans for this exciting event.
Year 9 Boys/Girls DTP/MenACWY Injections - 20/24 May 2021
Year 9 Boys/Girls DTP/MenACWY Injections are taking place on Thursday 20 May and Monday 24
May 2021, vaccination consent forms have been given out to all Year 9 students. If you have not
already done so, can you please return completed consent forms as soon as possible, even if you
do not want your child to have this injection. Without a signed consent form, your child will be un-
able to have their vaccination. Please contact Reception if you require a consent form.
May Half Term - WC 31 May 2021
Just to remind you that school finishes on Friday 28 May 2021 for May Half Term
so will be closed on Monday 31 May 2021 - Friday 4 June 2021. School reopens to
students on Monday 7 June 2021 to a Week 2 Timetable.
Year 8 Boys/Girls HPV Injections - Friday 11 June 2021
Just a reminder that Year 8 Boys/Girls HPV Injections Dose 2 will be taking place in school on
Friday 11 June 2021. Consent forms for these injections have already been completed for Dose
1, so will not be needed.
Year 10 Exam Week - WC 14 June 2021
Year 10 exams will start from WC 14 June 2021. Exams will be classroom based and not in
the Sports Hall. Year 10 have already had an 'experience' of Sports Hall based exams with
RE this year. These exams will be done during normal lessons and not to a set timetable.
Exams for Year 10 may run over into WC 21 June 2021. Please ensure you child is revising
for these exams and that they attend school well prepared.
Year 7 - 9 Exam Week - WC 21 June 2021
Year 7 - 9 exams will start from WC 21 June 2021. We will not be collapsing the timetable
this year. As above, exams will take place during 'normal' lessons in student’s classrooms. If
your child does not have a lesson during this week in a particular subject then the exam will
take place the following week (WC 28 June 2021). In Year 9 the compulsory subjects
(English, Maths, Science and RE) arrangements are the same as for Year 7 and 8. Exams will
take place during normal lesson time. 'Option' subjects will happen differently. Students
will only sit exams for the subjects they have chosen - for 'new' subjects (and a few others)
these exams will not be possible. Please ensure you child is revising for these exams and
that they attend school well prepared.
Primary Liaison Week - 30 June 2021 & 1 July 2021
Our new Year 7 students will join us at Dormston for 2 days on Wednesday 30 June 2021 and
Thursday 1 July 2021. During this time students will meet their form and form tutor and
they will get a taster of typical lessons at Dormston. This will give all
students a real experience of secondary school life. On Thursday 1 July 2021 there will
also be a Parents’ Evening starting at 7.00pm. During this evening our new parents/
carers will have an opportunity to meet their child’s form tutor and other members of
staff. Mrs Bassan will be writing to new parents/carers shortly outlining the detail of
both the induction days and the Parents’ Evening.
INSET Day - Friday 2 July 2021 *SCHOOL CLOSED
Just to give you advance notice that School will be closed for INSET on Friday 2 July 2021.
Students should return to school on Monday 5 July 2021.
Monstrous Devices Book Review
You may remember that 10 of our students were given the opportunity to read and review the
book Monstrous Devices by Damien Love. The reviews were a pleasure to read and we are
delighted to share one with you. Thank you to all students who took part.
Page after page - a tremendous and engaging read! The elements of the plot are cleverly
devised and come to life in one's imagination. Without giving too much away of the contents
of the story (as it will spoil it for those who haven't yet read the book) it is a novel that once you
start reading, you just don't want to put it down!
A young teenager unknowingly gets caught up in a dangerous conspiracy involving his
grandfather, a mythical creature, robots, bullies and pure evil villains who want to be immortal
and powerful. Together with his grandfather his journey takes him from one country to another
unravelling dark mysteries, whilst battling eerie devices on the way. It is a thrilling light-horror,
nail-biting sci-fi and a novel that reveals bullying to its utmost vulgarity, of fear, trust and much
more.
As the story unfolds and you immerse further into the read the curiosity of what to expect next
just grows bigger and bigger. I would love to see this novel made into a movie and I can defi-
nitely say it would be a blockbuster hit film too. I just didn't want the book to end, even though
at the same time I was looking forward to the outcome of the story. Throughout the book the
author successfully maintains to continuously keep the reader captivated and engaged
magnificently. The visualising context illustrates images in the mind of the reader capturing the
essence of the story in every minute detail. For me it's a treasured read to enjoy over and over
again!
The book can of course be borrowed from the PLC. Please email Mrs Ellsmore to request a copy.
A fabulous adventure for readers aged 10 + years .
Sharing Success We know we have many brilliant students who deserve a mention but here are a few stories
that have been shared with us, which we thought we would share with you! Don’t forget,
ALL parents/carers, staff and students are invited and encouraged to share their
success story with us by emailing [email protected].
Evelyn Newey - 2021 Dudley Festival of Music, Drama & Dance
Evelyn Newey in 9AY recently took part in the 2021 Dudley Festival of Music, Drama & Dance.
This year it was a ‘virtual’ competition with competitors sending in videos of their
performances. We are really pleased to say that Evelyn gained First Place in the 13 - 16 year
open violin class and second place in the grade 6 - 7 open strings class. Evelyn would have
been awarded the William Hand Cup for this success if it were not for social distancing. This
is a fantastic achievement, well done Evelyn.
Evie Rabjohn - Representing Aston Villa U21
A massive well done to Evie Rabjohn in 11AX who was recently called up to play for Aston Villa
Under 21s Women’s Team against Manchester United. This is an outstanding achievement and
is testament to how talented Evie is at Football. We are pleased to say that they won 4 - 2.
Evie has an impressive track record as she signed for West Brom when she was just 7 and then
Birmingham City when she was 11. We think it is definitely a case of……. watch this space.
Sam Firmstone - Hat-trick Weekend!
Well, Sam Firmstone in 9TX certainly had a bit of a hat-trick weekend recently. It started off
with a medal for ‘Keeper of the Night’ at GDS (Goal Keeper Development Scheme). The next
day saw him gain his RSL Grade 5 electric guitar qualification and then, to top it all off, the
following day Sam finished it off nicely when his football team became Division 1 Champions
of the Walsall Junior Youth League. Well done Sam, both your parents and Dormston are very
proud of all your achievements.
Evelyn Newey - 9AY
Evie Rabjohn - 11AX in action.
Sam Firmstone - 9TX
Gabriella Harper - Languages Success
Huge congratulations to Gabriella Harper in 8DX for her hard work and resilience in
language learning. Not only had Gabriella worked really hard during lockdown and
in class, she has also recently completed a 365 day streak on Duolingo. This means
that she has completed activities on the Duolingo app for a whole year without
missing a day, in order to improve her French. The MFL department is so impressed
with her commitment to language learning - what a fantastic achievement! This sort
of activity really supports classroom learning. We would love to hear about other
successes in language learning outside lessons and about which languages you're
having a go at.
Zak Bryan - Football Fund Raising Efforts
Well done to Zak Bryan in 7DX who recently raised money for his football team, AFC
Gornal. Zak saved his pocket money and made this Easter Hamper to raise funds for
his beloved Club. He raised over £200. Well done Zak! The kindness of our students
never ceases to amaze us.
Abigail Bolton - Breast Cancer Now Fund Raising Efforts
Well done to Abigail Bolton in 11SX who hopes to raise money for breast cancer by
taking part in walking 100 miles in May. Last year she raised £250 and this year she is
taking part in the 100 Miles in May to really challenge herself. Abigail hopes to raise
£500 and so far has managed to raise £300 which is brilliant! Breast Cancer has
impacted on Abigail’s family and the Charity Breast Cancer Now has helped
everybody so much that Abigail just wanted to support them in order to help them
improve their research. If you would like to donate Abigail’s fund raising page is
https://walk100miles.breastcancernow.org/fundraising/abis-fundraising-page949
Zak Bryan’s Easter Hamper
Abigail Bolton and her 100 Mile in May Challenge!
Extra-Curricular Activities are a great way of enhancing your child’s learning experience. It offers many benefits such as; making
new friends, developing social skills, building confidence, exploring new interests and learning new talents not to mention
earning House Points which will see them surge up the Effort Rankings. We are pleased to announce that our Extra-Curricular
Activities have now been reinstated following the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions that were temporarily in place. All our Extra
Curricular Activities can be found on our website. Please click here. Each week we will be highlighting just a couple of the
activities on offer to let you know a little bit more about them. Please talk to your child about these activities and encourage
them to take part wherever possible.
KS3 Book Club - Tuesdays: 2.45pm - 4.00pm in the PLC
does your child struggle to focus and settle down to read?
are the temptations from devices in this digitally saturated world stopping them from picking
up a book?
is it difficult for them to find the right reading environment?
do they need help to foster a regular reading habit?
If the answer to any of the above is yes, then this Book Club offers the perfect remedy.
Launched recently, students unanimously decided that the luxury of a calm, peaceful atmosphere,
away from any distractions, was all they wanted. Having browsed and selected a book to read from the PLC shelves, we curled
up in comfy chairs and lost ourselves between the pages of our book for 40 minutes. And the verdict? The student's comments;
“That was perfect, I could do another two hours”. “That was amazing. I have not settled to read like that for absolutely ages!” “I
just can’t wait for next week!, speaks volumes.
It has been proven that reading relaxes our brains. Being attentive and present in the reading experience helps us to overcome
stress. It can transport us to an imaginary world. Reading develops our empathy skills. It’s a therapeutic way to escape and to
disengage for a while. Reading for pleasure is the single, biggest indicator of a child’s success. Please encourage your child
to come along.
Countdown Club - Mondays: 2.45pm - 4.00pm in the PLC Play the Letters Game *Play the Numbers Game *Solve the Conundrum
Based on the popular TV Game show, students are invited to join COUNTDOWN CLUB in the PLC every Monday from 2.45pm -
4.00pm. This club is great fun (we’ve even got the replica clock) with a strong competitive element.
Have you got what it takes to be our first Countdown winner? Fancy giving it a go?
See if you can solve one of our conundrums to get you started. You have one minute to unscramble the anagram below. Your
clue is:
He admitted he had done something wrong.
F E D S C O N E S
Numbers game: Using all or any of the 6 numbers below (each number can only be used once) use
addition, subtraction, multiplication, division to arrive at the target number:
75, 25, 7, 9, 4, 6 - Target number: 462
Please book your place with Mrs Ellsmore in the PLC (you can get the answers too!)
Free Writing Competition for UK Schools - win a free virtual hour with an
author or poet!
To celebrate their debut Book Week, and to have something exciting to look forward to after a year marred
by covid - Authors Abroad are launching a writing competition for students.
There is a poetry competition and a short story competition for both primary and secondary schools.
Finish the poem/short story started by the poet or author, and whichever pupil completes it the most impressively will win a
free virtual hour’s visit by the act whose story or poem they completed! As well as a signed book for themselves.
Key Dates and Competition Information
Who can enter?
Any school within the UK can enter.
You must finish the correct story for your age group though - i.e. primary school students could not complete Karl’s poem.
Karl Nova and Kathryn Evans are open to entries for pupils in Year 7 to Year 9.
Word Count
Poems - maximum of 150 words. Short stories - maximum of 500 words. The poem/story starter provided by the author
does not count towards the word count
Deadline and entry method
Entries to be submitted to [email protected] – closing date Friday 11th June 2021
Prize
For each category Authors Abroad will provide the winning child with a signed book and their school will win a virtual hour
with the relevant poet/author.
Story Starters
Secondary Schools. Pupils from Year 7 to Year 9
Short Story by Kathryn Evans to complete (maximum 500 words, no minimum word count).
Or
Poem by Karl Nova to finish (maximum 150 words, no minimum word count).
Details and starters can be found:
Core Value Stripes
Congratulations to the students listed below who have recently achieved a Core Value Stripe. Each student who was
nominated has demonstrated outstanding personal qualities. Please note only names that have parental permission have been
published.
EFFORT
KNOWLEDGE
Emilia Hinton Stephanie Fish Evelyn Newey Izzy Peters Fabian Pritchard
Pierce Jagdev Abigale Amogu Isobel Newton Lola Bennett Curtis-Jay Bennett
Gemma Bunt Jessica Bowkley Gracie Deeley Jack Cox Matthew Brown
Evie Palfreyman Niamh Ingram Olivia Turner Aaradhya Tidke Rhiannon Wilkes
Corey Bowkett Christopher Ranshi Grace Clark Lilli Holmes George Bagley
Brayden O’Sullivan Tate Lunn William Walker Greg Turner Molly Tandy
Harvey Thomas Liam Evans
